Pantry storage
Does peanut butter need to be refrigerated after opening?
No. An open jar of stabilized peanut butter can stay in the pantry; the stir-it natural kind is the one that needs the fridge. FoodKeeper says opened commercial stabilized peanut butter can stay in the pantry, so the fridge only makes it last longer.
These times are a guide, not a safety guarantee, and a label that says to refrigerate comes first.
How we checked this: the storage times here come from the sources named on the page, and each one is checked against its source before the page goes live. Editorial policy
A jar labeled natural is not always the stir-it kind. Jif says its Natural Peanut Butter Spread is stabilized with palm oil to prevent oil separation, and the pantry window here is FoodKeeper's for peanut butter made with stabilizers. Source: Jif: frequently asked questions (opens in a new tab)
Unopened and opened
Unopened and opened packages keep for different times. These are the times the source gives.
- Unopened
- 6 to 9 months in the pantry, or 12 months in the fridge
- After opening
- 2 to 3 months in the pantry, or 3 to 4 months refrigerated
- Where to keep it once open
- Pantry or cupboard. The fridge is optional, but the quality lasts longer there.
Sources and limits
The after-opening time runs from the day you opened it, not from the date printed on the package, so write that day down. Well Stockd doesn’t know when your package was made, bought or opened: follow the package directions, keep it somewhere cool and dark, and check the official listing when food safety is in question.
The storage times above are quoted from the sources below. They’re a guide, not a safety guarantee: quality varies with packaging, temperature and how the package is handled between uses. Nothing here overrides a label that says to refrigerate. This page was last updated .
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